This invention relates to a cylinder recognition apparatus which can recognize a prescribed reference cylinder of an internal combustion engine. More particularly, it relates to a cylinder recognition apparatus which can check the accuracy of cylinder recognition data which it generates.
An internal combustion engine is generally equipped with a cylinder recognition apparatus which provides the engine controller with control signals which can be used to determine which cylinder of the engine is firing at a given time. These control signals are used by the engine controller to control the fuel injection, the ignition timing, and other aspects of engine operation.
Particularly when an engine is starting and the engine rotational speed is changing rapidly, there is a tendency for a conventional cylinder recognition apparatus to malfunction and provide erroneous control signals to the engine controller. If the engine controller performs control in accordance with the erroneous control signals, the engine will not operate properly.